The purpose of this study was to contribute to the research body of literature regarding dual enrollment, the impact and effectiveness of the program, and its relationship to college persistence. The goal was to provide information useful to governing bodies, educational leaders, parents and students. The theoretical construct, defined through the literature, was based on the model of Tinto.

This study developed a profile and explored the relationship between high school dual enrollment participation and college persistence, including the potential intervening variables, within a sample of Tennessee students.

The population consisted of all Tennessee high school graduates participating in dual enrollment through a Tennessee community college prior to graduating in 2005 and entering college in the fall. The sample of the population consisted of those students participating in dual enrollment through Chattanooga State. Archival data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and the correlation coefficient (Pearson r) through both linear and step-wise regression, with alpha =.01.

The study found a predominately female, Caucasian group of students attending public high schools, entering public in-state colleges immediately upon high school graduation and persisting consistently toward program completion. Potential intervening variables tested, ACT score and high school and dual enrollment GPAs, showed relationship with college persistence in linear regression. The variable, number of dual enrollment credits earned, was insignificant. With the utilization of step-wise regression, two models developed. In the first, step-wise introduction of variables revealed dual enrollment GPA having a significant relationship with college persistence. In the second, simultaneous presentation of variables revealed the combination of dual enrollment GPA and number of dual enrollment credits earned having significant relationship to college persistence.